Beyond Green Nudging: A Behavioral Ethics Framework for AI-Driven Sustainability in Smart Cities

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Source of Publication

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

Publication Date

8-2-2026

Abstract

The rise of smart cities has made artificial intelligence (AI) an important part of urban life. Yet, deploying AI in these systems creates a tension between enhancing efficiency and protecting human autonomy and independence. Traditional behavioral economics introduce the concept of nudges, which are known to be clear, straight forward, direct interventions that guide choices while preserving human freedom. In contrast, AI-driven nudges are highly personalized, adaptive, and are often unnoticed by users, raising complex ethical concerns about their influence on daily decision-making. To address this, we propose the BEHAVE framework (Behavioral Ethics for Human-Aware AI in Virtual Environments), which integrates sustainable AI, responsible machine learning, and human-centered design for smart cities. Through systematic analysis of smart city implementations, we identify three behavioral paradoxes: the cognitive load paradox, transparency trade-off, and sustainability rebound effect. The framework introduces six guiding principles: Behavioral Transparency, Ethical Timing, Human Agency Preservation, Adaptive Consent, Vulnerability Protection, and Evaluation Continuity to navigate these challenges. A case study in urban traffic management illustrates how ethical AI nudging can effectively promote sustainability while ensuring users retain meaningful control over their choices.

ISBN

[9783032199805]

ISSN

0302-9743

Publisher

Springer Nature Switzerland

Volume

16462 LNCS

First Page

148

Last Page

159

Disciplines

Computer Sciences

Keywords

AI-driven Sustainability, Behavioral Nudging, Cognitive Load, Ethical AI, Human Autonomy, Responsible AI, Smart Cities, Sustainability

Scopus ID

105046255298

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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